Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[robpm]

Started blocking up the firewood I cut late last fall. I cut my blocks 18" and cut the logs 24' if I can and still lift them. This isn't the fastest way to do it but it is easy on my body. Hope to finish this week doing a little at a time in mostly sunny 40 to 50 degree weather.



gg

How do you like your Frostbite Log grapple?

 

[goeduck]

Those Frostbites are nice.

 

[Hoobie]

Started blocking up the firewood I cut late last fall. I cut my blocks 18" and cut the logs 24' if I can and still lift them. This isn't the fastest way to do it but it is easy on my body. Hope to finish this week doing a little at a time in mostly sunny 40 to 50 degree weather.

View attachment 693241

gg

That is how I do it. Although I do 12 to 14 foot lengths as that is what my trailer can take. And I have forks no grapple. I unload and hold logs waist high on the forks by the splitter. Nephew and I saw from each end to maintain balance on the forks. I drop the last centre 4 feet and he finishes as I get more logs.
Easy on the back.

 

[Creamer]

A better term for the status of forum members is probably ‘customers’. Customers who enhance the value of the site for the owner. Yes, the owner sets the rules. However, when those rules become onerous or unfairly administered the customers may leave. As OldPath05 justifiably did, IMHO.

The owner of TBN does a pretty good job of walking the fine line of retaining valuable customers while having mostly reasonable rules to maintain decorum which enhances the customer experience.

However, he sometimes drops the ball, he’s not perfect. And when he drops the ball customers can complain, or leave, or both.

And, the owner can listen to his customers or he can throw them out or run them off.

It would seem to me that if you have a continual problem you would get rid of it rather than everyone else. Life is too short to worry about those who just complain and cause problems.

 

[Oaktree]

I do like the fact the aluminum in the newer Ford's won't rust, but I just don't feel aluminum is the right material in a pickup truck. Too weak and light where p/u trucks need weight when empty, in the rear in NY winters.

Aluminum may not rust, but it does corrode with exposure to salt. How do the aluminum body Fords stand up in that regard, or is it still too soon to tell?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Aluminum may not rust, but it does corrode with exposure to salt. How do the aluminum body Fords stand up in that regard, or is it still too soon to tell?

Exactly, look at what happens to small aircraft frames, they corrode and fail, that's why there's so many inspections.

There is no magic bullet, aluminum has it's own set of problems...

SR

 

[Gordon Gould]

How much do you put up in a year?

We burn about 4 cord in a older type box stove during an average winter . Our place isn't very big and it is pretty well insulated. Right now I still have a half cord left in this years half of the shed.

How do you like your Frostbite Log grapple?

For what I do I like it very much. It is rugged but only 360 lbs so it doesn't rob lift capacity. Has grease zerks every where. It is narrow so you can manipulate it into tight places w/o having a lot of extra iron in your way. If you want to handle trees, logs, tops, or big rocks it would be hard to beat and the price is competitive also.

gg

 

[Creamer]

I've seen so many weird things that trees did that they weren't supposed to do.
This tree in your pics says everything that it should fall downhill- crown heavy side.
The notch demonstrates that as well.
Imagine your surprise when the tree wants to go the other way.

How about a tree whose entire fall side was gone inside of it.
All of its water and nutrient path was on the opposite of the tree's expected fall line.
Now the relatively new guy had cut the notch and because of his inexperience, didn't notice the color change after the cambian layer of the chips nor the rotted out wedge he took out..
All this trees weight was on its good side...opposite the side it was "supposed" to fall.

They are supposed to do all those things - physics doesn't change just our understanding and awareness of it which is why these discussions are great- just to open and remind everyone about the possibilities to address before jumping in with the saw.

 

[shooterdon]

I wish I had been aware of the Frostbite grapple before I bought the MTL. It seems better suited to picking up individual logs when that function is needed. I can get it done with the MTL, but it is more of a challenge...or maybe reflects my lack of expertise.

 

[Jstpssng]

I wish I had been aware of the Frostbite grapple before I bought the MTL. It seems better suited to picking up individual logs when that function is needed. I can get it done with the MTL, but it is more of a challenge...or maybe reflects my lack of expertise.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[John_Mc]

I wish I had been aware of the Frostbite grapple before I bought the MTL. It seems better suited to picking up individual logs when that function is needed. I can get it done with the MTL, but it is more of a challenge...or maybe reflects my lack of expertise.

There are other styles of grapples that will run rings around a forestry grapple for other purposes, but I've yet to find anything better than a forestry grapple for handling logs. (Yes, I'm aware that there are those on here who disagree with me on that point.) The narrow profile is also a realy boon when maneuvering in tight spaces in the woods.

Frostbite is one example, there are a couple of others that are basically the same design. I have a Sundown GR40: functionally, they are identical, though I will admit that I like some of the design features of the Frostbite a bit better.

I'm not familiar with the MTL grapple myself, but I'm sure there are things it will do with ease that would be a pain in the neck to do with a forestry grapple.

 

[arrow]

I was thinking the same thing.

I wouldn't fret all that much,
Gordon's post (17,639) shows what loggers do when making firewood. The "cutting bed" is made up of the rounds.

When we had "firewood days" as opposed to mill stems, the skidder would come up on the first turn with a 7-12 stem hitch. We'd cut up the first stems still attached to the skidder.
The served as the "bed". On subsequent turns, the skidder would drive right over this bed, we'd dechoke the stems and we'd cut up the stems over the previously cut rounds.
You really didn't need anything holding the stem in the air to cut it up if you made this "table" first.

I use this method to this day and just place the stems on the "table"..

 

[Gordon Gould]

Arrow is right. I used to block up my wood right off the log pile - cut some in front then roll a log down on top of the bed of blocks and keep going like that until you get tired of working on and around the pile of blocks that builds up. And then you have to move them. Moving the logs off the pile with a grapple or forks or what ever so you can block them up in the clear is the big benefit to me since my footing isn't what it used to be. And I can block up the whole pile w/o having to move any blocks out of the way. Not having to bend over to get started is just a nice side benefit. These are a couple pics from this morning. I welded a stump vise on my grapple for touching up my saw chain.

This log I set down on the blocks before I cut it, like arrow said, because I didn't have my shin guards on.

gg

 

[Skeans1]

Arrow is right. I used to block up my wood right off the log pile - cut some in front then roll a log down on top of the bed of blocks and keep going like that until you get tired of working on and around the pile of blocks that builds up. And then you have to move them. Moving the logs off the pile with a grapple or forks or what ever so you can block them up in the clear is the big benefit to me since my footing isn't what it used to be. And I can block up the whole pile w/o having to move any blocks out of the way. Not having to bend over to get started is just a nice side benefit. These are a couple pics from this morning. I welded a stump vise on my grapple for touching up my saw chain.

View attachment 693626

This log I set down on the blocks before I cut it, like arrow said, because I didn't have my shin guards on.

View attachment 693627


gg

I wouldn't fret all that much,
Gordon's post (17,639) shows what loggers do when making firewood. The "cutting bed" is made up of the rounds.

When we had "firewood days" as opposed to mill stems, the skidder would come up on the first turn with a 7-12 stem hitch. We'd cut up the first stems still attached to the skidder.
The served as the "bed". On subsequent turns, the skidder would drive right over this bed, we'd dechoke the stems and we'd cut up the stems over the previously cut rounds.
You really didn't need anything holding the stem in the air to cut it up if you made this "table" first.

I use this method to this day and just place the stems on the "table"..

I envy you guys with no brush it’s something we don’t see out here.

Here’s what spring looks like in the PNW you spend more time slashing your way through vs actually cutting timber.

 

[MiserableOldFart]

OK, my tractor isn't in one, but it brought all the wood to the pile. From a few years ago.

 

[TractorTYMe]

 

[shooterdon]

OK, my tractor isn't in one, but it brought all the wood to the pile. From a few years ago.

I have neither the desire, energy or time to stack wood like that. I am lot more miserable and older I guess...LOL.

Totes cost a bit, but are much more efficient plus easy to move around. Working smarter beats "pretty" for my needs. I use 32 totes and can store 15 cords in them. the plastic bin is raised to increase capacity and serves as covering from rain and snow.

My cost for 32 totes was $800. The photo shows some stored on my old RV pad. The one front and on the right shows how a access the tote for stacking and unloading. Totes are staged in the garage using the tractor. Each holds just under .5 cord.

 

[Jstpssng]

OK, my tractor isn't in one, but it brought all the wood to the pile. From a few years ago.

That's a pretty amazing wood stack. Once again, I read your post too fast last night. I thought that it said "my tractor isn't one". I'm having my eyes checked later this month...

 

[NPurdy1112]

I have neither the desire, energy or time to stack wood like that. I am lot more miserable and older I guess...LOL.

Totes cost a bit, but are much more efficient plus easy to move around. Working smarter beats "pretty" for my needs. I use 32 totes and can store 15 cords in them. the plastic bin is raised to increase capacity and serves as covering from rain and snow.

My cost for 32 totes was $800. The photo shows some stored on my old RV pad. The one front and on the right shows how a access the tote for stacking and unloading. Totes are staged in the garage using the tractor. Each holds just under .5 cord.

Agree on the totes. They are hard to find around here lately. Last source I purchased from said they havent seen any in ~6 months. And they are not near as cheap here either!

 

[deezler]

Don, doesn't you wood still always get wet with the tote liners tucked inside the tote frame like that? I would think all the water will just trickle down the sides, over the wood ends, and run through all the wood still. I always make sure to get a half sheet of plywood sitting out over the top edge of the tote frame, or my tarp shed setup pulled out over the edges too.